After cuffed
by CaskettCoffeeAlways
Summary: This story is written AU right after 4x10 - Cuffed. Give it a try :) Rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

**AN: So I got this idea when I was trying to fall asleep(like all my other ideas). Well anyways, I hope you like it.**

Beckett had just arrvived home after a long day cuffed to Castle. Lanie was on her way over for a girls night.

Suddenly Beckett's phone made a sound, it was a new text message.

"_Tease."_ It was from Castle, whom she had left at the precint with the phrase _Next time, lets do it without the tiger_.

She was just about to answer, when Lanie knocked on the door.

"Hi sweety, I brought wine." Lanie said as she entered the apartment and gave Beckett a hug. "You've had an interesting day, or what?"

Beckett just rolled her eyes at Lanie, there were no details to tell anyways. She went back to her phone to answer Castle's text, _"Took you long enough."_ And with that they sat down on the sofa and enjoyed a glass of wine.

As Beckett and Lanie were talking Beckett got another text.

"_What?"_ Beckett answered rightaway _"It took you long enough to come up with an answer."_

"Who are you texting?" Lanie asked

"Just my dad" Beckett tried to lie her way out, knowing that Lanie would ask questions if she said who it really was.

"If that's what you say" Lanie responded like she didn't believe Beckett.

Another text message popped up. _"Well... I had to start thinking with the right head."_

"_Now you're the one teasing." _Beckett responded, put her phone down and said "I have to go the bathroom Lanie, be right back."

"Alright, I'll be here."

While Lanie was sitting there waiting for her friend another text message showed up on her friends phone. Maybe it wasn't the right thing to do, but she had to read the text, she didn't believe Beckett was texting Jim.

"_Well FYI there are no lions at my apartment, not even female red-haired ones."_

When Lanie read that text and that it was from Castle, she wasn't sure she had done the right thing, but she scrolled up to read the other texts. She couldn't believe her eyes, there was so much teasing here. She took a risk and typed "I'll be there in 20 w/wine."

Beckett was going to be so mad at Lanie for doing this, but Lanie knew that she would forgive her eventually.

When Beckett came back from the bathroom, Lanie was standing by the door with car keys in one hand and Beckett's phone in another.

"Where are you going Lanie?" Beckett asked, and instead of answering Lanie handed her the phone. _"Looking forward to it. Chinese?"_ the newest text read. "What did you do Lanie?" Beckett was kind of shocked, but she couldn't say she was that mad.

"Kate, don't get mad. I noticed the text messages from Castle, and since I knew you wouldn't take the next step, I did it for you." Lanie stopped talking for a while, read Beckett's face. "So, since I haven't had more than a couple of sips of wine, I'm going to drive you to Castle's now."

"You're kidding, right?" Lanie just shook her head, so Beckett texted a short _"Sure"_ back to Castle, and read Castle's and Lanie's conversation. She didn't really know what to say.

"I can't go like this" Beckett said

"Like what? You look perfect as always." Beckett just rolled her eyes at Lanie's comment.

"Come on, let's go. And if you haven't seen it, you're supposed to bring wine."

And with that they left Beckett's apartment.

**AN: Let me know what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**AN: So I finally got around to update this fic. I don't like to make excuses, so I'm just going to say that I'm sorry for not updating sooner. I hope you'll still read this! **

"Go and get your man girl!" Lanie said to Beckett as she dropped her off at Castle's building.

"I'm only going because you set this up." Beckett replied and rolled her eyes at Lanie.

"Sure honey! Just keep in mind that I'll sit by the phone waiting for details." And with that Beckett closed the car door and walked into Castle's building. She was way more nervous than she let Lanie know, this was nerve-wrecking.

As Beckett was nearing Castle's appartment, Castle was phasing back and forth. He knew that he had to be confident and calm when she arrvived, unless of course he wanted an awkward evening. Then there was a knock on the door, Castle checked his hair and went to answer the door.

On the other side of the door, Castle noticed a nervous detective holding a bottle of wine, he knew that he had to get himself together to make this a good evening.

"Hi" Beckett said as she handed him the wine.

"Good evening Kate" He said, as confident as he could be, leaned in for a quick kiss on the cheek and took the bottle.

Wow Beckett thought, firstname basis and a kiss on the cheek, he did not appear to be as nervous as she was.

"Come in, can I take your jacket?" She always knew that he was a gentleman, but he was acting different than normally.

"Yeah sure" she answered with that smile that makes him swoon.

They walked into the apparment, Castle first heading right to the kitchen counter where two wine glasses were waiting. "You really know me, don't you?" Castle said as he poored the wine into the glasses, Beckett had a questioning look on her face. "You brought my favorite wine" He said as he handed her her glass. "Care to join me on the coach, since the food won't be here until another 15 minutes?"

"Sounds good." She answered as she turned, to walk over to the coach. They sat down on the coach with a distance between them.

They small-talked for a couple of minutes before the food arrvived. As they started eating Beckett said "Castle, I need to be honest with you"

**AN: Don't kill me.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**AN: You're all so nice!**

Castle put his chopsticks down, this did not sound good at all.

"What is it?" He asked a little hesitant, he wasn't sure he wanted to hear what she was going to say, even though he had no idea what she was going to say.

"Don't worry, it's not that big of a deal." She said, as she saw that he was a little set back by this.

"Good, then what is it? Are you going to tell me, how much you enjoyed being cuffed to me?" He asked with a wink in his eyes. She kind of regretted telling him to not worry, it was much easier when he was worried than when he was flirting.

"I didn't really want to come here tonight." She just blurted out.

"Ehm, ok?" He said questionly.

"I was having a girls night with Lanie..." Beckett was in the middle of telling him why she was here, when he cut her off.

"And she forced you, didn't she?" He looked kind of disappointed.

"Well, I didn't need a lot of forcing, but I guess she kinda did force me."

He didn't say anything.

"I sent most of the texts though. I kept telling her, that I was texting my dad, but she didn't believe me, so when I went to the bathroom, she took my phone and that's when you texted that Martha and Alexis weren't home, so she took matters into her own hand after reading our conversation. I'm sorry" She didn't look him into his eyes, she didn't know how he was going to take this.

"Don't be, sometimes we all just need a little push from our friends. That's what friends are for. I'm happy you came over, even though it wasn't from free will. Now let's make a toast for having good friends."

He took this better than she expected, but then again he was pretty much perfect.

They finished eating dinner, and then they cleaned up after themselves. Usually Castle would never let his guests to clean up, but when Beckett insisted, he knew that there was not much to do.

Beckett had been way more relaxed than both she and Castle had expected.

Before Beckett headed home, they sat down and talked for a while.

"So, where are the "red headed lions"?" She said, using his expression.

"Mother went to see some show on broadway, and Alexis and Paige are working on some project, so they're at Paige's house. Alexis should be home soon enough, I don't know about mother though."

"You sure have raised a great young woman." Beckett told him with a smile on her face.

"Well, she told me the day that she met you, that you were her new rolemodel. She wanted to be as strong as you're, and achieve as much as you've." He was smiling proudly.

"I'm not sure if I believe that those are her words, but thank you."

"You're welcome. What do you want to do now?"

"It's getting late, and I'm on shift tomorrow, so I should probably head home, but I had a really nice evening Castle." She rose from her seat.

"Me too, I'm glad you came." He walked her over to the door.

Now it was time for the awkward part, how would they say goodbye? He greated her with a kiss on the cheek, but what would they do now?

"Thanks again for a great night Beckett, I really enjoyed your company."

"So did I, good night." She said as she was about to walk through the front door, but he pulled in for a short and awkward hug.

"Good night. Don't forget to thank Lanie from me, when she asks for details." He said as she walked away.

Right outside Castle's building Beckett met Alexis.

**AN: Hope you liked it! :D**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**AN: Yeah... sorry for the late update :p**

As Beckett closed Castle's door, she looked up and there was Alexis.

"Detective Beckett, what are you doing here?"

"Hm..." Beckett hesitated a little, she didn't what to answer. What was she even doing there? Had they just had their first date? She didn't know.

"Sorry, I'm intruding, don't answer that question, it's none of my business." Alexis hurried to say, when she realized Beckett's hesitation.

"No no, it's fine. I'd answer you, but I really don't know what I'm doing here myself." Beckett answered the teenager. Beckett then tried to change the subject. "How is yours' and Paige's project going?"

Alexis soon forgot about the awkward part of this conversation and started telling Beckett, her role model according to Castle, all about the project they were working on.

Beckett and Alexis continued talking for 20 minutes, mainly about the project, that Alexis was so eager to tell her about. Beckett then made an excuse to leave and left the building. She had to take a cab home, since Lanie drove her to Castle's apartment.

Meanwhile at Castle's apartment:

Alexis came through the door, but there was no sight of Castle.

She found him in his office, sitting by his desk, his chair turned around and staring into the wall.

"Dad?"

"Oh God Alexis. You scared me." Castle said as he turned his chair around, now facing Alexis, who was standing in the door frame.

"Sorry, what are you doing?" She asked as she walked over to the desk.

"Nothing, just thinking."

"That's new." She said with a smile on her face.

"Ha ha, very funny Alexis." He answered sarcastically.

"So what are you thinking about? Maybe a certain detective?" Castle shot a look at her. "Yes, I know she was here. I met her in the hall, talked to her for a while."

"No, I'm not thinking about her. Just about my writing and stuff." He tried to get out of this conversation with his daughter.

"So you're thinking about the fictional Beckett then? Did you get some inspiration tonight?" She asked with a wink on her face, she knew her father to well.

"No…"

"Dad, I met her in the hall this late, and the first things I meet entering the apartment are Chinese leftovers and wine glasses, and then there's you just sitting here just like you've been starstruck. I can put two and two together."

"Yes, Beckett did come over this late, and we had a nice meal with some good wine, and a good talk, then she went home. There's not more to it." He answered, since he knew his daughter well enough to know that she wouldn't stop asking.

"If you say so… Anyways, I'll clean up after your date and you can sit here thinking about it."

"I've raised an angel, haven't I?" Castle said, ignoring the "date" part.

Castle spent the next hour or two just thinking.

**AN: Hope you liked it, even though the wait was long **


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

**AN: Here's an update! Beckett&amp;Lanie talk.**

Beckett unlocked her door and stepped inside. She closed the door, leaned up against it, and closed her eyes. Her thoughts were everywhere, until she was interupted.

"Was it that good?" Lanie asked.

Beckett jumped and opened her eyes.

"Lanie? What are you still doing here? You can't scare me like that."

"Well you gave me an emergenc y key, remember?"

"Yes, but that was only meant for emergencies, not for sneeking around."

"You should've known better, honey." Beckett just rolled her eyes at Lanie.

By this time they had made their way to the couch.

"I need to sit down and think" She said as they sat down on the couch.

"Wow, that doesn't sound good!"

"It was fine, now weren't you supposed to wait by the phone for details?"

"As if you would call me, if anything happened. So I figured, I would just use your apartment until you came back, which in my opinion was way to soon." Beckett gave Lanie her look. "What?"

"So I can't come home, because you are here?" Beckett sounded way to annoyed, for this be about Lanie being here, usually she would love having her friend over.

"Relax Kate. I only meant that you should've stayed at Castle's longer, maybe sleep over, if you know what I mean." All she got was another look. "What happened that was so bad?"

"Nothing." She paused for a moment. "We had a nice evening together, we ate, drank and chatted. He was a true gentleman."

"But?" Lanie asked, there was always a but.

"When I was about to leave, he pulled me in..." Lanie's eyes just became wider. "...and he hugged me."

"Ok, let me get this straight. Kate Beckett is annoyed because she only got a hug from her writerboy? Are you finally admitting to wanting more?"

"Guess so."

"So when are you going back to his apartment, to share your first kiss with Castle?"

"Not tonight Lanie. Besides, it wouldn't be our first kiss."

"WHAT?" Lanie was shocked. "Are you telling me that you and Castle have already made out and you didn't tell me? When did this happen?"

"In January."

"That's 11 months ago? And you haven't kissed again?"

"It was undercover, we did it to save Ryan and Espo."

"That doesn't really count, Kate."

"Didn't make it any less good."

"Wow girl! I think I'll just leave you and your thoughts, and go home, it's late."

Lanie made her way to the door. "See you tomorrow?" She said questionly.

"Yes, I'm on shift. Good night Lanie, by the way Castle told me to thank you, for forcing me to come over to his place."

"Honey, you didn't need that much forcing, but I'm always happy to help. Good night." Lanie said as she left Beckett's apartment.

**AN: That's it for today people! Enjoy 7x03 if you're watching tonight.**


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